Car door mechanism



Original Fil ed Dec. 10. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet alike: war

Feb. 23, 1932. w 1,846,576

cm boon MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 10, 1925 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 WILLIAM E. WINE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO can noon maommsn Application filed December 10, 1925, Serial No. 74,497. Renewed November 11, 192%,

My invention relates to car door mechanism such as is employed for maintaining the swinging doors of dump cars in closed position. The principal object of the invention is to afford a construction efliciently reinforcing a door locking mechanism involving a. sliding bolt element, to the end that the thrust or reaction of the door locking devices may be efliciently transmitted to the door when the latter is closed and subjected to the load due to the lading in the car.

The principal feature of the invention, generally stated, consists in providing a hinged car door with a spreader or stiilener which is secured thereto adjacent the free edge thereof, and in combining therewith a slidable bolt mounted upon the door and a locking member carried by the car body for cooperating with the bolt to maintain the door in closed position, the bolt being disposed so as to overlie a portion of the door spreader and the door having secured thereto in overlapping relation to the bolt a door stiflener which extends lengthwise in the direction of sliding movement of the bolt.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the hinged door with a plurality of door stifleners extending at an angle to each other, one of the stifl'eners being secured to the inside of the door and the other upon the outside, and in combining therewith a slidable bolt mounted on the door and projecting between said stifleners and adapted to extend beyond the edge of the door so as to cooperate with a door locking member mounted upon the car body.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a hinged door with a plurality of stifieners extending at an angle to each ried by the car body, whereby the door may be maintained either in fully-closed position or in partially closed position.

Other features of the invention relating to advantageous formsof construction and relations of parts will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a car equipped with a door mechanism embodying the invention, the door being shown as locked in closed position.

Figure 2 is a detail end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fi ure 3 is a view of the mechanism partly in si e elevation and partly in section.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view, on the line 4. 4, Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the locking bolt.

While applicable to cars of other types,

door locking mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention is especially advantageous for maintaining the doors of hopper cars in closed position, and accordingly a car of that type has been illustrated in the drawings for the purpose of explaining the invention.

7 In the drawings, 1 indicates the side sheet of a car hopper and 2 is the hinged door for closing the hopper discharge opening. This door, which may be most advantageously formed of sheet metal and provided with marginal stifienin flanges, is adapted to swing to open posltion under the influence of gravity and may be hinged to the car bod in any customary or suitable manner. Pre

erably secured to the inner face of the door 2 is a door stiflener 3 extending at an angle to the hinge axis of the door. The stifiener 3 may be of flanged form, preferably an angle iron, and may be employed as one of the hinge straps of the door. Secured upon the outside of the door and extending parallel to the free edge of the latter remote from the hinge axis, is a door stifl'ener 4 which extends at an angle to the stifi'ener 3. When the invention is applied to a hopper car having hoppers disposed on opposite sides of the car, such as'is illustrated in my Patent No. 1,491,576, April 22, 1924, the stiffener 4 may serve as a door spreader for connecting the doors or door sections for respectively closing the hopper discharge openings. When connected by a door spreader the two doors in effect become one. The stiffener 4 is preferably a Z-bar whose downwardly extending flange 5 engages and is riveted to the door 2 and whose upwardly extending flange 6 is spaced outwardly from the plane of the door plate by means of the web 7.

Secured to the door in overlapping relation to the stiffener member 3 is a bracket 8 forming a guide for a reciprocating bolt 9. The lower end of the bracket is interposed between the door plate and the outwardly spaced flange 6' of the stiffener member 4 and is provided with flanges 10 which are perforated to receive rivets 11 serving to connect the bracket to the web 7 of the stiflener. The bracket is also riveted to the door plate and to the stiffener 3. The web 7 of the stiffener 4 is slotted to permit the bolt 9 to extend beyond the adjacent edge of the door.

At its lower end the slidable bolt is preferably stepped so as to provide a plurality of locking shoulders 12 and 13, respectively. These shoulders, as will hereinafter appear, are adapted to cooperate with corresponding shoulders with which the door locking member 14: carried by the car body is provided, whereby the door may be maintained either in partially closed or in fully closed position. The lower end of the bolt on the side opposite the shoulders 12 and 13 is beveled as indicated at 15 to cooperate with the inclined or rounded face 16 of the stationary looking member carried by the car body. When the door is swung towards closed position the cooperative engagement of the inclined faces 15 and 16 causes the bolt to be automatically lifted so that it may thereafter drop into door supporting engagement with the member 14. At its upper end the bolt 9 may advantageously be formed with an outwardly projecting lug 17 which is spaced somewhat above the upper end of the bracket 8 in which the bolt is mounted. This is a convenience in moving the bolt to unlocked posit-ion when the door is to be released, as a bar or any convenient tool may beintroduced into the space between the lug 17 and the top of the bracket 8 and employed to pry the bolt upwardly.

To prevent the bolt 9 from accidentally moving to a position permitting the door to swing open, a revoluble cam 18 is preferably mounted on the bracket 8 just above the upper end of the bolt. To allow the cam to swing without binding, it is journaled upon a flanged thimble 19 secured to the bracket 8 and to the door 2 and stiffening member 3 by means of a rivet 20. When the cam is driven downwardly against the upper end of the bolt 9 the latter is maintained in door supporting position.

The door locking member 1A is preferably mounted on the car body by being riveted to the angle iron stiffener 21 which is attached to the outer face of the slope sheet 22 of the hopper. The door supporting bracket 14 is formed with an opening 23 to receive the lower end of the sliding bolt 9, the outer wall of said opening being stepped so as to provide a plurality of shoulders or abutments 24 and 25, respectively, for cooperating with the corresponding shoulders 12 and 13 of the bolt. As will be readily understood, when the shoulder 12 of the bolt engages the shoulder 25 of the locking bracket 14, the door is maintained in partially closed position.

Because of the nature ofthe serviceto which cars of this character are subjected, the doors for closing the discharge openings of the hop pers frequently become warped to such an extent that while they may readily be caused to assume an approximately closed position, their complete closure is a matter of considerable difiiculty and requires the employment of a removable prying bar or lever. To enable the door to be readily forced from a partially closed to a fully closed position a perforated fulcrum plate 26 is preferably rigidly mounted upon the car body. After the door has been swung toward closed p0 sition until the shoulder 12 upon the bolt comes into locking engagement with the shoulder 25 upon the bracket 14, a prying bar or lever may be inserted through the hole in the fulcrum member and be brought into engagement with the door or with the door spreader 4 mounted upon the latter. By manipulating the lever the door may be forced inwardly to fully closed position, thus allowing the bolt 9 to descend so that its shoulders 12 and 13 respectively come into engagement with the shoulders 24 and 25 of the door locking member 14. The cam 18 may then be rotated so as to engage the upper end of the bolt and thus maintain it in door locking position.

I claim 1. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a door spreader secured thereto adjacent the free edge thereof, a slidable bolt overylin a portion of said door spreader and adapted to project beyond said edge of the door, a door stiffener secured to said door in overlapping relation to said bolt and extending lengthwise in the direction of sliding movement of the latter, means mounted on the car body for cooperating with said bolt to retain the door in closed position, and means for preventing said bolt from accidentally assuming a position permitting the door to open.

2. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a door stiffener secured thereto, a bracket secured to the door in overlapping relation with said stifiener, a bolt slidably mounted on said bracket and adapted to project beyond an edge of said door extending at an angle to the direction of length of the door stifl'ener, means mounted on the car body for cooperating with said bolt to support the; door against opening movement, and means movablymounted on said bracket for engaging the. bolt to maintain the latter in door supporting position.

3. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a door stiffener secured to the inner side thereof, a bolt slidably mounted on the outer face of the door in overlapped relation to said stiffener, means mounted on the car body for cooperating with the bolt to retain the door in closed position, and means for maintaining the bolt in door securing position.

4. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a plurality of door stifieners secured to the door and ex tending at an angle to each other, one of said stifi'eners being positioned upon the inside of the door and the other upon the outside, a

' slidable bolt mountedon the door and projecting between saidstilfeners and adapted to extend beyond an edge of, thedoor, and means mounted on the car body for cooperating withthe bolt to retain the door in closed position.

5. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a plurality of door stiffeners'secured to the door and extending at an angle to each other, a bracket carried by the door, a bolt slidably mounted in the bracket and adapted at one end to project beyond an edge of the door, said projecting end being'stepped, and a door locking member secured to the car body and adapted to cooperate with the bolt to retain the door in closed position, said door locking member being provided with a plurality of shoulders adapted to cooperate with the stepped end of the bolt.

6. Car doormechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a bracket mounted thereon, a bolt slidably mounted on said bracket and having a portion adapted to project beyond an edge of the door, a door locking member secured to the car body and adapted to cooperate with the bolt to retain the door is closed position, movable means operatively interposed between said bracket and bolt for retaining the latter in door securing position, said door locking member being provided with a plurality of shoulders for cooperating with said bolt to support the door in a preliminary position of closure and in a final position of closure, and means including a removable lever forforcing the door from preliminary to final closed position.

7. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a hinged door, a slidable bolt' member, a door locking member for cooperating with said bolt member to retain the door member and extending at an angle to each other and having portions between which the bolt member extends.

8. Car door mechanism for a railwa car having hoppers disposed on opposite si es of the car involving, in combination with two doors hingedly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings-of the hoppers, a door spreader connectlng said doors and rigidly secured thereto adjacent their free edges, said spreader terminating adjacent the outer side edges of the doors and having a portion projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the doors, a slidable locking member mounted upon each door adjacent the end of the spreader, the outwardly projecting portion of said spreader being provided with apertures for respectively slidably accommodating said members, and means rigidly secured to the underside of each of said hoppers for respectively cooperating with said members to support the 1 doors 1n closed position.

9. Car door mechanism for a railwa car having hoppers disposed on opposite si es of the car involving, in combination with two doorshinged-ly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings of the hoppers, a door spreader terminating adjacent the outer side edges of the doors and having a plurality of angularly disposed portions, one of said portions being rigidly secured to the doors adjacent the free edges of the latter and another of said portions projecting outwardl from the outer faces of the doors, a movab e lockin member slidably mounted upon each door ad acent the end of the spreader, the outwardly projecting portion of the spreader being provided with apertures for respectively slidably accommodating said movablemembers, and stationary locking members mounted upon said hoppers for respectively cooperating with said movable locking members to support the doors in a the doors and having a portion projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the doors, a movable locking member slidably mounted upon each door adjacent the end of the spreader, the outwardly projecting portion of said spreader being provided with apertures for respectively slidably accommodating said members, and stationary locking members mounted upon said hoppers for respectively cooperating with the movable lockingniembers to support the doors in closed positions, said slidable locking members being respectively provided with portions cooperable with means adapted to force them out of engagement with said stationary locking members.

11. Car door mechanism'for a railwaycar having hoppers disposed on opposite sides of the car involving, in combination with two doors hingedly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings of the hoppers, a door spreader terminating adjacent the outer side edges of the doors and having a plurality of angularl disposed portions, one of said portions eing rigidly secured to the doors adjacent the free edges of the latter and another of said portions projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the doors, a movable locking member slidably mounted upon each door adjacent the end of the spreader, the outwardly projecting portion of the spreader being provided with apertures for respectively slidably accommodating said movable locking members, stationary locking members mounted upon said hoppers for respectively cooperating with the movable locking members to support the doors in closed positions, and means disposed in the path of movement of sald movable members to limit their upward movement thereby preventing disassociation of said member from said spreader.

12. Car door mechanism for a railway car having hoppers disposed on opposite sides of the car involving, in combination with two doors hingedly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings of the hoppers, a door spreader connecting said doors and rigidly secured thereto adjacent their free edges, said spreader terminating adjacent the outer side edges of the doors and having a portion projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the doors, brackets respectively secured to said outwardly projecting portion of the spreader adjacent the ends of the latter, movable locking members slidably mounted upon each of said brackets, said outwardly projecting portion of the spreader being provided with apertures for slidably receiving the respective movable members, and stationary locking members secured to each of said hoppers for cooperating with said movable locking members to support the doors in closedpositions.

13. Car door mechanism for a railway car having hoppers disposed on opposite sides of the car involving, in combination with two doors hingedly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings of the hoppers, a door spreader connecting said doors and rigidly secured thereto ad acent their free edges, said spreader terminating adjacent the outer side edges of the doors and having a portion projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the doors, brackets respectively secured to said outwardly projecting portion of the spreader adjacent the ends of the latter, movable lockin members slidably mounted upon each of sai brackets, said outwardly projecting portion of the spreader being provided with apertures for slidably receiving the respective movable members, stationary locking members secured to each of said hoppers for cooperating with said movable locking members to support the doors in closed positions, and means movably mounted on each of said brackets for engaging the associated movable locking member to maintain the latter in locked position.

14. Car door mech nism for a railway car having hoppers disposed on opposite sides of the car involving, in combination with two doors hingedly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings of the ho pers, means adjacent the free edges of the oors for stiffening the latter, a movable locking member slidably mounted upon each door adjacent the outer side edge thereof, and stationary locking members secured to said hoppers for respectively cooperating with said slidable locking members to support the doors in closed positions, a portion of the said stifi'ening means of each door being provided with an aperture for slidably accommodating the associated movable locking member and another portion of said means affording a supporting abutment for the latter.

15. Car door mechanism for a railway car having hoppers disposed on opposite sides of the car involving, in combination with two doors hingedly associated with the car for respectively closing the lading discharge openings of the hoppers, a door spreader terminating adjacent the outer side edges of the doors and having a plurality of angularly disposed portions, one of said portions being rigidly secured to the doors adjacent their free edges and another of said portions projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the doors, a movable locking member slidably mounted upon each door adjacent the end of the spreader, the outwardly pro'ecting portion of the spreader being provi ed with apertures for respectively slidably accommodating said movable locking members, and stationary locking members mounted upon said hoppers for respectively cooperating with the movable locking members to support the doors in closed positions, the portion of said spreader secured to the doors being-overlapped by said movable locking members and afiording a supporting abutment for the latter.

16. A car door mechanism for railway hopper cars involving, in combination with a hinged door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, a stiffening beam secured to the door and having a portion projecting outwardly therefrom, a bracket secured to said beam and having a plurality of walls substantially normal to the outwardly projecting portion of the latter forming a passageway, a member rigidly secured to the hopper and having an aperture adapted to register with the passageway in said bracket when the door is in closed position, and a slidable locking member carried by said bracket within the passageway thereof adapted to extend into the aperture of said member to support the door in closed position.

17. A car door mechanism for railway hopper cars involving, in combination with a hinged door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, a stiffening beam secured to the outer face of the door adjacent its free edge, said stiifenin beam being of Z-shape and having its web disposed substantially normal to the plane of the door, a bracket rigidly mounted on said beam, a bolt slidably associated with said bracket and adapted to extend through the web of said stiffening beam, and a member rigidly mounted on" the hopper and having an aperture into which said bolt is adapted to extend to support the door in closed position.

18. A car door mechanism for railway hopper cars involving, in combination with a hinged door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, a stiffening beam secured to the outer face of the door and extending substantially parallel with the hinge axis thereof, said beam being of Z-shape and having its web disposed substantially normal to the plane of the door, a bracket rigidl secured to said beam and being provided wit a passageway defined by a plurality of walls substantially normal to the web of the beam, a member secured to the hopper and provided with an aperture ada ted to register with the passageway of said bracket when the door is in closed position, a locking bolt slidably mounted in said passageway and adapted to extend into said aperture to support the door in closed position, and means ivotally mounted on said bracket adapte to cooperate with the slidable bolt to maintain the latter in door-s11 porting'p'osition.

19. A car door mec anism for railway hop- Eer cars involving, in combination with a inged door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, a stififenin beam secured to the door and having a portlon projecting outwardly therefrom, a bracket mounted on the door, a locking member slidablv mounted unon said bracket and extending on opposite sides of the outwardly projecting portion of the beam, a member rigid with the ho per for cooperating with said locking member to support the door in closed osition and means movabl mounted on' said bracket above the said projecting portion of the beam for maintaining said looking member in door supporting position.

20. A car door mechanism for railway hopper cars involving, in combination with a hinged door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, a stiffening beam secured to the door and having a portion projecting outwardly therefrom, a bracket rigidly secured to said outwardly projecting portion of the beam, a locking member slidably mounted on said bracket and extending on opposite sides of said portion of the beam, a member rigidly secured to the bottom of the hopper for cooperating with said locking member to support the door in closed position. and means movably mounted on said bracket above said projecting portion of the beam for maintaining the locking member in door supporting position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

